Saturday, November 9, 2013

Mini Apple Pies

MINI APPLE PIES

Ingredients For The Crust
  • 1 cup flour
  • 6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
  • 2 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
Ingredients For The Filling
  • 2 to 3 apples
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Crumb Topping 
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 4 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small pieces
 Making The Crust
1. In an electric mixer or using a mixing bowl & a fork mix butter then add  flour & mix well. Next, add salt & sugar. Then add your ice water and mix well until a dough forms. Start with the 2 tablespoons of ice water, & if it isn’t coming together like a dough, add a little more.

2. Wrap dough in saran wrap and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Remove dough from fridge. Save 1/4 of the dough to the side for the top crust. With a rolling pin, roll the rest of the dough between two pieces of parchment paper, roll out the dough fairly thin. Use a cup or small bowl with a larger diameter than the pan circles to cut out circles from the dough.


4. Place into an ungreased cupcake tin, removing any excess dough & even out the top.

Making The Filling
1. Peel, dice, core, & chop 2-3 apples. Using 3 apples makes a bit more than needed.


2. Mix together the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, flour, & vanilla extract. 
Then, mix in your chopped apples.


3. Poke the base of the dough with a fork once or twice. 
Then spoon in the apple filling to reach the top of the dough.

Option 1 The Crumb Topping
Combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, & cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the butter, & cut it into the flour mixture with a fork or your fingers, until they are small crumbs. 
Optional: Roll out the extra dough & use a mini cutter to cut out an apple or a leaf.


Option 2 The Lattice Topping
1. Using the remaining dough, roll out into a thin rectangle. Using a pizza cutter cut thin, 1/4 inch, stripes, the diameter of your mini pies. Then lay the lattice pieces in both directions over the pies.

Bake The Pies
1. Place the cupcake tin in the center rack & bake at 375 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, or until they start to brown on the top. Let cool for 5 minutes before your remove them from the tins, place on a cooling rack. Serve with some homemade whipped cream.

Plate Finished Product



STORY BEHIND THE DISH
I love baking for the holidays & apple pie is always a fall favorite! My Dad has always been the apple pie fan of the family, but as the years go by it's starting to win me over. This is no skinny dish, but everything is good in modification :)

MODIFICATIONS
  This is not really a flexible recipe but there are two options provided. One, a crumb topping which is more like a dutch apple pie & two a lattice topping which is more the American tradition. Personally I like the crumb best, but they are both delicious. You can also add a bit of fresh lemon juice or lemon peel in the mixture to a little zing. Or you can sweeten it up by adding some golden raisins.

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